Effetti della qualità dell’aria

sulla prestazione sportiva

Introduzione
Introduzione

 25.1 °C, ~77 % RH.

 PM10 89.5 µg/m3 (Tiantian et

al., 2011).

 In Italia la media giornaliera

delle PM10 non può essere
maggiore di 50 µg/m3 7 volte
in un anno.
Introduzione
Effetti sulla partecipazione:

 Haile Gebrselassie (Etiopia), recordman mondiale della

maratona, si è rifiutato di partecipare.

 Il comitato olimpico canadese ha fatto allenare gli atleti a

Singapore, portandoli a Pechino solo per la gara.

 Uso di maschere, farmaci e integratori.

Introduction
Gestione degli arrivi:

 Il ciclista Fabian Cancellara arrivò a Pechino 2 settimane

prima della gara e vi si è allenato più di 4 ore all’esterno.
Ha vinto una medaglia di bronzo e una medaglia d’oro.

 Altri atleti sono arrivati a Pechino solo 1-3 giorni prima

della competizione.
Introduzione
Risultati delle gare:

 In competizioni indoor (nuoto e ciclismo su pista) sono stati battuti

molti record mondiali.

 Pochi record mondiali sono stati battuti nelle competizioni

outdoor.

 Uomini: record olimpici 100, 200, 5000 10000 m, maratona and 50

km marcia; record mondiali solo nei100 e 200.

 Donne: record olimpici 3000 m siepi, 10000 m e 20 km marcia.

Tuttavia solo i 3000 m siepi è stato anche record mondiale.
Allenarsi in ambienti inquinati

Dose Effettiva (Adams, 1987)

ED (ppm * L)=
Concentrazione (ppm) * Durata (min) * e (L/min)
Materia Particolata (PM)
 Varia in base alle dimensioni

 Combustione dcarburi legna e

Carbon Monoxide
 Keramidas et al., 2012

Performance did not vary between the trials.

Oxygenated haemoglobin and total haemoglobin was lower
in intercostal and vastus lateralis muscles in ii) than in i).

In iii) intercostal oxygenated and total haemoglobin was

greater than in ii).

No differences in cerebral parameters between trials.

Ozone
 Gaseous pollutant formed from
the photochemical reaction
between light and volatile
organic compounds and NOx.

 Sunny summer days can

increase O3 (temperature!!!).

 Impairment through stimulation

of airway receptors and nerve
endings
(Hazucha et al., 1989).
Ozone
 First studies appeared in the ‘60s.

 Foxcroft and Adams, 1986.

O2max before and after exposure for 4 days, 60 min/day

submaximal exercise with 0.35 ppm O3 or filtered air.
Acute exposure decreased O2max from 3.85 to 3.62 L/min and
exercise performance time from 253 to 211 s.

After 4 days O2max was similar between ozone and FA

condition.
Ozone
 Gong et al., 1986

17 top cyclists, 31 °C.

FA, 0.12 ppm and 0.2 ppm O3. 60 min at 70% O2max.

Significant reductions in peak (18%), O2max(16%), tidal

volume (22%), work load (8%) and ride time (30%)
occurred in 0.2 ppm ozone compared to FA.

No significant differences beween FA and 0.12 ppm O3.

Ozone
 Schelegle and Adams, 1986

10 endurance athletes.
FA, 0.12, 0.18 and 0.24 ppm O3. 60 min (at least 30 min) at 86% O2max.

FA: all the participants completed the trial

0.12 ppm: 1 did not completed the run
0.18 ppm: 5 did not completed the run
0.24 ppm: 7 did not completed the run

Comparing 0.18 ppm and 0.24 ppm with FA, FVC was reduced by 7.8%
and 9.9% respectively, and FEV1 was reduced by 5.8% and 10.5%
respectively.
Training in polluted environments
 Athletes seems to be more at risk for pollutants effects
than other population.

 Greater ED
 Greater time spent outdoor for training
 Many times training is done at the time in the day when
there is a greater concentration of pollutants in the air
(mid day or early evening)
Training in polluted environments
 Das and Chatterje, 2013

West Bengal area, comparing Rabindrabharati and Victoria

Memorial in young football players and sedentary
adolescents.
60 footballers and 160 sedentary adolescents.
Lung function
Training in polluted environments
Training in polluted environments
Training in polluted environments
 Marr and Ely, 2010

7 marathons for 8-24 yrs. Top 3 males and females.

WBGT-adjusted performance decrement calculated.

Pollutants concentration was moderate, and only PM10 was

associated with decrements in performance of women.

For every 10 µg/m3 increase, performance can be expected

to be reduced of 1.4%.
Secondary Smoke Effects (SHS)
 SHS is proven to have long term effects on health and
increases risk for lung cancer.

 Not many direct evidences on SHS effects on sports

performance.

 Short term exposure of 30-60 min to SHS in healthy

nonsmokers can reduce coronary flow velocity (Otsuka et
al., 2001) and increase thyroid hormon secretion. It seems
also to raise blood pressure and reduce gonadal hormones
secretion, and increase interleukine-1 mainly in males but
not females (Flouris et al., 2008)
Secondary Smoke Effects (SHS)
 Flouris et al., 2012

16 non smoking adults (8 women), maximal oxygen

consumption at baseline and after 1 h SHS as in a
restaurant/bar, with a rest of 0, 1, 3 h in normal air.
Secondary Smoke Effects (SHS)
Secondary Smoke Effects (SHS)
 Flouris et al., 2012

12% reduction in PO after SHS at any time.

8.2% reduction in O2max.

6% increase in perceived exertion.

6.7% decrease in time to exhaustion.

Secondary Smoke Effects (SHS)
 Flouris et al., 2010

17 participants (8 women), 30 min cycling at baseline and

after 1 h SHS as in a restaurant/bar, with a rest of 0, 1, 3 h in
normal air.

In all conditions mean PO was reduced of about 37.3%.

Immediately after SHS, all cardiovascular and immune
parameters were reduced. FEV1 was reduced by about
10.5%, and IL increased of about 52%
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
 Arrive at the site of the competition 3-7 days before,
training mainly indoor and passively adapt to the polluted
environment.

 Take some supplements as antioxidants, ß-carotene, vit. C

and E.

 Do not smoke!!!
JET LAG
Jet Lag
 Dizziness, disorientation, fatigue, anxiety, nervousness,
lack of appetite and intestinal discomfort.

 For symptoms it needs to cross more than 3 time zones.

 Adaptation:
2-3 days for sleep;
3-5 days for core temperature;
3-5 days for jet lag symptoms;
6-8 days for performance.
Jet Lag
Countermeasures:
 BLE (Brilliant Light Exposure): using lighting at specific time
of day can shift circadian rhythm, core temperature
fluctuations and melatonin production, i.e. sleep modulator.

 Physical acitivity: if done in the evening, before melatonin

production, can shift forward circadian rhythm.

 Forced desynchronization of circadian rhythm: 20h per day

instead of 24 h.

 Pharmacological supplements: benzadiazepine, melatonin, etc.

Thank you for your attention!

“No one, unless he is grossly ignorant of what science has done for
mankind, can entertain any doubt of the incalculable benefits which will
hereafter be derived from physiology”

( C. Darwin)

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